The Second Amendment, Gun Control, NRA; All Predictable after Aurora, Colorado Massacre

Five minutes after I watched the horrific story which took place in Aurora, Colorado, I could predict at least 30% of the news stories for the next several days.

I was right. There were stories in almost every paper, in every blog, and on all the television networks about the pros and cons of gun control. But this argument is a rare exception, it is not split down party lines. The right, as usual, cites the second amendment of the Constitution. A few on the left, make the argument that the second amendment does not refer to hand guns, and assault rifles. Hand guns were not popular, nor plentiful, and assault rifles didn’t exist at the time.

Intelligent people, everywhere, who want sensible gun control, use examples such as the cowardly act of one man in Aurora, to plead their case to their congressmen and senators. The fact is, they’re wasting their time. They pay no more attention to stories like this, than the hundreds of individuals who are gunned down every day in our gun crazy country.

We do not have a government who represents us, we have a group of politicians who represent themselves. Any act, any vote on the floor of the legislature, which might cost them one vote in their campaign for re-election will never happen. They vote their interests, not yours.

The NRA is too powerful when election time nears. They are so supported by the northern part of our state, that they have made their members believe that Mr. Obama wants to take away their guns. In fact, he has never made even a single statement regarding gun control. But, the NRA wants him out. As it is with the rest of us, they don’t know what he’ll do if he receives a second term. They do know what Romney will do, nothing.

So, do I believe in giving up hope that there may be reasonable changes, reasonable issues, which might one day get voted into law? Sorta. In my lifetime, in addition to no effective gun control law, I don’t believe I will ever see equal health care for all of our citizens. We will never have the same insurance given our Representatives in Washington, who are employed by the American people. I will never see oversight of Wall Street, or our nation’s largest banks. When Clinton signed the repeal of the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act, in 1999, he allowed the commercial side of banking to be absorbed into the investment side, without any restrictions. Then Bush’s administration could simply look the other way as the greed of banks destroyed the housing market with sub-prime loans, and other risky investments, using their customers money. It all ended up in the destruction of a once great economy. I will also never see opportunity for everyone who wants a full time job, with decent benefits, to get one, unless they’re willing to move out of the country.

What I see is deception. I see the media, those seeking election, and big business skirting facts and just plain common sense. I hear Mr. Obama being blamed for an economy that is not back to where it was before Bush was elected, though it is improving, when the blame should rest on “W”’s shoulders, as well as his predecessor, Bill Clinton. And believe me, it never will return to what it was. Our new economic structure will not allow it. No president will ever be able to promise “a chicken in every pot”, at least not with a straight face. No president with any common sense, will ever promise, “no new taxes”.

So, I’m sorry, gun control people, it ain’t gonna happen. I don’t disagree with you, but, I’m a realist. I also know that the United States has little chance of being one of the great countries again, ever. I know this, just as I know that never again will a man or woman who goes to work in the mailroom, have a chance to become Chairman of the Board. The saddest of all, is that grandparents, like myself, are keenly aware that the “American Dream”, owning your own home, will be beyond the means of most of our descendants in the future.

Pessimism is not fun. Who knows, maybe tomorrow, I’ll do a complete one eighty. I’d like to wake up and see some good news, good news that affects me and my relatives and friends. I’d like to see good news about jobs, the economy in general, the lowering of gas prices, or that our legislature has passed one, just one law that will benefit the people who voted for them. I’d like to not turn on the news and see that innocent men, women, and children have had their lives taken away by a stranger with lots of guns. Aw, shucks, there I go, trying to be a cockeyed optimist again.

James Turnage

Sun Valley, Nevada

Here’s some other articles on gun control and how they relate to the tragedy in Aurora.

2 Responses to "The Second Amendment, Gun Control, NRA; All Predictable after Aurora, Colorado Massacre"

Rsmcali July 25, 2012 at 1:52 am

Saying that the US is not a great power and be a leading great power you are a moron. Internet, tech, apple, Facebook, freedom, business, agriculture, finance, real estate, I can go on and on. Gun control will happen. Remember, the key word is control. Too many nut jobs buy guns under the 2nd but infringe my right to freedom. Freedom from terror. Regards, American